8 TV Women Friendships That Got it Right

After being complimented for portraying female friendship realistically on television, the cast of US sitcom Broad City responded brilliantly, by pointing out that this kind of portrayal should be the norm.

Instead, we usually get stuck with the competitive, back-biting, frenemies that make up 99% of reality TV. Snooze.

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Thankfully, not all television shows get female friendships wrong. We look back at our favourites, past and present.

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1. Girls - Hannah, Marnie, Shoshanna & Jessa

Girls goes beyond the superficial to show you exactly how annoying and weird and amazing and crucial our friendships can be. Whether it's Marnie sleeping with Shoshanna's ex, or Jessa setting up the love of Hannah's life with another girl, these four have been through possibly every pitfall a group of twentysomethings could ever run up against. Real life reactions to real life situations, resulting in a real friendship, on television. Imagine that?

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2. Scandal - Abby and Olivia

With Abby Whelan and Olivia Pope, Scandal showed us what might be the most complex friendship of all: the best friends/boss and employee. But even after Abby handed Olivia her resignation as one of 'the gladiators' on payroll with her crisis management firm, in order to take a plum Press Secretary job at the White House (working for Olivia's ex-boyfriend, the President, no less), the show continues to show the two working through grudges and hurt feelings to remain in each other's lives.

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3. Parks and Recreation - Leslie Knope & Ann Perkins

The biggest takeway here is — despite what reality TV would have you think — women can actually be loyal friends to one another even when they don't have much in common. Despite being total opposites, Parks and Rec's over-enthusiastic public servant and disgruntled nurse bring out the best in each other, in the sweetest, most girls-rule way.

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4. Broad City - Abbi & Ilana

Stoners extraordinaire Abbi and Ilana are the gal pals we want to party with. Getting themselves into the most ridiculous of situations, the pair prove that low funds and crappy jobs are no obstacles for true BFFs.

Life isn't all brunches and baby showers, in fact it's made up of a lot of mishaps and wrong turns - IRL friends help you navigate them, just like Abbi and Ilana do.

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5. Grace & Frankie - Frankie & Grace

A friendship born out of a painful (yet comical) situation, Frankie and Grace prove female friendship is the greatest antidote to heartbreak.

On top of their tenacious and feisty attitudes, which we totally relate to, its their age that has us celebrating this couple of mates. Because, although we know that friendship is alive and kicking until the day we aren't, we rarely see it on screen. Women of a certain age do not become invisible knitters, not that there's anything wrong with crafting, so we're so glad we get to see one tale of older friendship on screen.

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6. Grey's Anatomy - Cristina & Meredith

More than anything, doctors Cristina Yang and Meredith Grey deserve credit for breaking the 'let's go shopping!' stereotype and showing viewers a deeper picture of girlfriends. We watched as the two battled through real-life, relatable experiences spanning miscarriages and the unbearable loss of friends. And when they fought, they really fought, which made it all the more compelling to watch their friendship endure.

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7. Sex and the City - Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte

Not that we weren't doing it anyway, but it was New York's Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte who gave women all over the world permission to talk about sex loud and proud. Sex and the City made it plain and obvious that comparing bedroom notes is not only entertaining, but good for a girl's sex life (and health!) too.

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8. Friends - Rachel & Monica

Friends taught us many important life-lessons: always knock before entering, close the blinds in case of peeping Toms (remember 'Ugly Naked Guy'?) and always find out if there's a vegetarian in the room before making a dozen lasagnas. But the show taught us a lot about friendship too. Rachel and Monica are the ultimate dynamic duo. From Rachel's first job to Monica and Chandler's wedding, this wo-mance has been through it all.

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